I’m very excited to tell you about the Twelfth Treasure of Christmas! The morning started with a walk over to Nationals Park.
Walking to Nationals Park
My brother said that he had not been inside the ballpark for over a year. At first, he thought it would have been to see one of the World Series playoff games, but I reminded him that he went got to go to Winterfest last Christmas season with my niece:
It looked very pretty!
Winterfest 2020 at Nationals Park
Maybe this coming year we’ll be able to go to Bark in the Park!
When we got around to the home plate side of the Park, we met some Army fellows running the stairs. Wow, that looked like fun!
Watching the Running of the Stairs
Now, for the big news! The Twelve Treasures of Christmas sure ended on a high note! When we got back to The Wharf, look what I found:
Carrying the Big Box
I was so happy to find this box, that I carried it down the promenade:
The Box on The Wharf
My brother even let me take it all the way to the boat. He’s so nice sometimes!
Finishing the Box
Well, I hope you have had some great treasures of your own this Christmas season, just like I had! Our friend Jim always says that the best gifts come wrapped in skin and bone. I always thought he was talking about steak bones and such, and I totally agreed. Then one day, my brother said he could also mean things like people and dogs. I think I agree with that even more!
We took a really long walk this morning. It was great!
We started up by the Capitol. It was really pretty at sunrise!
Whiskey Tango at sunrise on the Mall
Then we headed west down the Mall, past the Washington Monument and on to the World War II Memorial.
Refreshment at the World War II Memorial
I had never been able to get near the pool, but no one else was around, so my brother let me get a drink from it. I felt very honored!
Well, I mentioned a few days ago about singing along with the fire truck sirens. Something big must have been going on because at least five trucks went by as we were walking by the Reflecting Pool.
Singin’ Along!
If you come visit me, maybe we can sing a duet together!
I had never been to the Vietnam Memorial. It is really something. I felt like there was a big rift in the earth, and as you walk down from one end, the list of names start to get taller and taller, until you think you’re at the bottom of a big canyon.
At the Vietnam Memorial
There were very nice Christmas wreaths placed all along the Memorial. My brother was worried that I might mistake one of those as a little tree, if you know what I mean, but I was very careful to be respectful. I’m the American Dog, after all!
Here’s a nice statue dedicated to all the nurses who were in Vietnam. I wonder if there are any soldier dog memorials.
We also went by the Korean War Memorial, but my brother forgot to turn on the camera. That’s OK though! He did get a picture of me in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
We walked about five miles this morning, so I was ready for breakfast when we got back. And then, what to my wondering eyes did appear, but Treasure Number Eleven! I love carrying sacks by their handles! It’s what I do – I’m a Golden Retriever!
Grazie!
Well, I’ll see you tomorrow! I hope you have a good night!
Today was rainy and we didn’t get to take very long walks. However, it was one of my biggest treasure days! Not only did I get this great box of Grey Goose (hold the geese), but I also got some delicious, fresh rainwater, served up right at mouth level!
Tasty, Tasty, Rainwater!
We also got to ride in the car over to PetSMart after Church to get some new treats. I met some new friends there. What a great day!
Have you ever had one of those days where, just as you think it’s cold and dreary and not much is going to happen, it becomes a banner day? I’ll bet you have, too — and I hope you have another one soon!
Grey Goose, Hold the Geese
Well, that’s all I have today, but as you can see, it was a very good one!
Well, the new year has started out with its own set of surprises! For example, today’s treasure wasn’t a treat to eat at all. It was a fun, unexpected splash – and it happened so fast that my brother hardly had time to get you a picture of it!
On the way to the “Title” Basin
This morning, we walked around “The Title Basin”. At least, I think that is the name of it. Here’s the talk my brother and I had about it:
Me: Where are we walking today?
Brother: The Title Basin.
Me: What’s the name of the Basin?
Brother: Title.
Me: OK, the “title”.
Brother: Right.
Me: Right? Is the name the title or is the title the name?
Brother: What?
Anyway, even though I never did get the name of the “Untitled Basin”, I did find out that it serves a good purpose, besides being pretty, especially when the cherry blossoms are blooming! It was built to catch 250 million gallons from the Potomac River, twice a day, at high tide. Then, all that water flushes out into the Washington Channel, where our boat is, to help keep it clean. Isn’t that great! Now, if they ever have a contest to give the Basin a proper name, I would like to suggest that they give a nod to how it works with the tides. I think folks would be very impressed!
World War I Memorial
As we started around the Title Basin, we saw the World War I Memorial. It’s kind of between the World War II Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. My brother thinks that’s a little out of order, but it sure is a nice place. In fact, when my niece and nephew-in-law got married, our friends the McEntires took these great pictures of the wedding party there:
Beautiful!
Our next stop was the Martin Luther King Memorial. I had always heard he was a giant of a man, and they were right! Look at this!
Dr King was a Giant of a Man!
And he’s not the only one who was much larger than I had thought. Take a look at Fala, the Roosevelt’s dog, who I had always pictured as a little guy. Well, when we got to their Memorial, I was in for a big surprise!
There’s a nice view of the monuments as we walked to the Jefferson Memorial:
Crossing the Bridge over the Tidal Basin
And, take a look at how much self-control I exercised when we came across a flock of geese!
Geese on the Tidal Basin
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was able to walk past the geese because I had already set my sights on today’s Treasure of Christmas. After all the rain we had, there was a really nice puddle with about two or three inches of water in it. Well, it was calling my name. I’m sorry we don’t have a picture for you, but my brother spent a lot of time trying to pull me out of it instead of getting the camera. As you can see, though, it was a refreshing rest before we finished the walk!
Out of the Puddle
Later in the afternoon, we took a nice stroll at The Wharf. It was a little breezy, but it was great to see so many people and dogs out enjoying the afternoon down by the water!
Breezy at The Wharf
After such a big day, I was ready to take it easy! I hope you were also able to take a little nap outside on such a beautiful day!
First of all, Happy New Year! It is great to be living in the year of our Lord 14,147 (that’s in dog years)!
My brother and I both fell asleep while it was still last year. Then, some of the other boaters starting honking their horns at midnight, so we woke up and I even got a little Turducken dog treat. A great way to to start the new year!
The first exciting thing I want to tell you in this new year is that I have a new website! It is ThisRover.com. Don’t worry; I’ll always be the American Dog, too, but my brother thinks that the two websites will play well together. I guess you can also find us on other places as @ThisRover.
The name comes from one of my favorite songs, “The Sunny Side of the Street”. There’s a part that says:
I used to walk in the shade
With the blues on parade
Now, I’m not afraid
This Rover – crossed over
Here’s a funny thing: I used to think the last verse went like this:
If I never have a cent
I’ll be rich as Rockefeller
Goldens at my feet
On the sunny side of the street!
I guess it’s actually “gold dust”, not “Goldens”, but they both sound good to me. Which do you like better?
Goldens at my feet …
Well, because we were getting the new website up and running, we’re about three days behind in telling you about the Treasures of Christmas. Don’t be too hard on my brother, though; all this web design is not his strong suit. We’ll get caught up right now!
The Fifth Treasure of Christmas
On one of our walks patrolling the docks, I got this nice cardboard tube from Carla, one of the ladies who has a boat here. It is sturdy! It’s so nice, I haven’t even tried to take it apart. That speaks well of it!
The Sixth Treasure of Christmas
We have been taking a lot of walks every morning up on the National Mall. It is so different being there early when no one else is there. Just us and the squirrels!
Well, this was a nice surprise! It was the top half of a multi-grain bagel. It was so healthy, even my brother didn’t mind me getting it. With that nourishment, I was able to walk with purpose up to the Capitol building.
The Seventh Treasure of Christmas
To give 2020 a proper send off, I got a new harness! I had rubbed my old one against the rock walls so much that a lot of the seams were fraying. I really like the new one. It’s a very stylish blue, with reflective stripes. And it doesn’t get in the way of my dancing!
There are so many pretty spots on the Mall. This little garden is part of the Smithsonian Castle. It’s hidden away from the main streets – kind of like the Nakatomi Gardens back home. Another plus about going early in the morning is that I get to walk in the actual gardens! I always try to be careful about stepping on the flowers, but sometimes I forget. After visiting the garden, we walked back up to the Capitol. Here’s a little dance to commemorate the occasion:
The Eighth Treasure of Christmas
So here we are, back at New Year’s Day! Did you know that today is also a celebration of Mary, the Mother of God? And if that’s not enough, it’s also called the Octave of Christmas. I always try to sing an octave below the fire truck sirens when they come by! Maybe I’ll try a Christmas carol next time.
To celebrate all those things, we took a walk early this morning. Here is my first Whiskey Tango dance of the new year:
It was so quiet outside this morning. I guess not everyone went to bed as early as we did.
Then, when you least expect it, as we were walking past the American History Museum, look what I found:
Someone left an entire meal of Chinese food! I didn’t get to eat all of this treasure, but here’s the funny thing: about thirty minutes later, I was ready for another treasure!
Well, here’s hoping you find all the treasures you’re looking for this year … and also some that come to you as a complete surprise. Those are the funnest kind!
Well, we only took a few steps outside the Yacht Club this morning and I had found my first treasure of the day!
Shake Shack!
I love Shake Shack! They have those nice big, bags and those tidy little boxes, that are perfectly mouth-sized. So thoughtful of them!
My brother wouldn’t let me go through all the bags that were by the trash can, but that’s OK – I knew the day was just beginning!
We got a good walk in, with a beautiful sunrise. I was so happy, I had to do my Whiskey Tango dance in front of the Disabled Veterans’ headquarters. I hoped they enjoyed it!
Whiskey Tango at the Delta Alpha Victor
Today is also the memorial day of St Thomas Beckett. I don’t think it’s his birthday; I think it was the day he died, but it was a very long time ago. I sure am learning about a lot of brave people! I love hearing about brave people, and dogs, too!
Today was so exciting that I’ve already carried two treasures – and we haven’t even gone on our evening walk yet! The second one happened so fast that I don’t have any pictures for you, so let me show you my first, beautiful find this morning:
The Ghost of Cinnamon Rolls Past
Unfortunately, the cinnamon rolls were gone, but there was some of that icing on the lid, just waiting for me!
Now the second treasure of the day happened at PetSmart. My brother and I went there to get me some food: he was looking for reduced-calorie, for some reason. I think I almost have the moves perfected, so let me share them with my four-legged friends. I’ll bet you’ll be getting more treasures in no time:
Find a rawhide bone on one of the lower displays and grab it.
Put up a fight to let go of it, but not too much. This is important, because it puts everyone at ease.
Wait until your brother or sister is distracted. I waited until my brother was trying to talk to the saleslady, get out his credit card, and punch in his rewards number, all at the same time.
Grab another treasure! This time, make sure that you have a really good grip on it. Don’t let go. Your patience will be rewarded.
In our case, the lady was so nice, she said, “Oh, Winston, that can be my Christmas gift to you.” Wasn’t that thoughtful? Anyway, I had it all eaten before we got back to the boat, so I’ll show you the happy dance I did in the parking garage, instead:
Whiskey Tango in the Parking Garage
My brother calls my little dance a Whiskey Tango. He can have the whiskey, and I’ll do the tango. That’s one of the many reasons we get along so well!
I also heard that today is the Feast of the Holy Family. That’s so cool, because we go to church at Holy Family when we’re back home! I often wonder what kind of dog Jesus, Mary, and Joseph had. I’d like to think it was one of my great-great-great-great-grandparents. If you know the answer, please let me know!
Well, it’s time for my new dog food. I’ll see you tomorrow!
Well, my brother and I are back in Washington, DC! Here’s a picture of us leaving the house last Wednesday:
Before I tell you about our adventures, a big “thank you” to my niece’s mom: she made me a nice blanket for Christmas!
It is very soft and it has pictures of the Pioneer Lady’s dog in a pickup truck on it! I think it’s time my brother and I got a pickup, but I think I’ll still let him drive most of the time. When you’re the driver, I think your passengers expect you to stay seated and not just decide to lie down whenever you feel like it.
Our first night, we stayed in Jackson, Tennessee. With my traveling bowls, I felt right at home!
Our room had a nice couch for me to sleep on – just like home and the boat.
The hotel folks had dog treats for me in the lobby and there was a nice courtyard to explore.
Speaking of the courtyard, I think the hotel was also called the “Courtyard”. What a coincidence!
The next day we got to my friend Tripp’s and his brother, Mike’s. They live in the Smoky Mountains. Speaking of another coincidence – the mountains were a little hazy!
We got to their house before they did, so I got to play in the backyard. I even got to “borrow” one of Tripp’s toys for the rest of the trip.
At first I thought it was a little lamb, but it’s actually a fluffy piñata, because it’s full of squeakers! At last count, I have removed four squeakers from it. What a nice surprise!
It’s always fun to visit them on Lake Douglas. Wait a minute – Douglas is also my brother’s name! This trip is jam-packed with coincidences!
On Lake Douglas
Well, I’ll keep you updated on our adventures on the boat, soon!
I told you yesterday that I’d have a surprise for you. Well, here it is!
Did you think it was me at first? I know I sure did! Then, I realized that I was looking at it, so it would be hard for that to happen. I still look outside at it and then at my own paw sometimes, though, just to be sure!
You all may know my friend, Clifford, the Big Red Dog. Well, I’m now officially Winston, the Big Golden Golden.
My brother got it for me as a surprise. I am honored to be part of our Christmas decorations this year!
We’ve been so busy, that I forgot to tell you about Thanksgiving. The second turkey turned out as good as the first one!
My brother put it in a big brine bath on Wednesday. Then, early on Thanksgiving morning, just when I thought we were going on our walk, he put it in the smoker.
It smelled so good that I didn’t even mind missing our walk! I was happy to stand guard. Actually, I laid down, but I was still able to watch for hungry intruders.
I love this picture. It looks like turkey angels bringing the smoked turkey to the Promised Land.
You know how much I like to find chicken wings and ribs on our morning walks. Well, they have met their match!
I got one more picture before my brother headed over to Max’s house with Mark and Susie. But don’t worry; he brought me back a big bag of turkey and we’ve been eating some of it every day!
The rest of the weekend we spent putting up Christmas decorations. Did you know that if I really stretch, I can reach the stockings on the mantle? That is so fun!
Speaking of decorations, I have a big surprise for you. I’ll show you tomorrow!
Goldens at my feet …
